| When our beloved cat Cheshire, died, a decade ago we were too heartbroken to adopt again. But a long-distance move to a new state and a new house later, we discovered the joy of a Maine Coon. Neko (cat in Japanese) belonged to my brother, and we agreed to keep her for six weeks while he took his family on vacation. We were quickly hooked. The affectionate nature and fuzzy face of the breed had me looking online for one of our own, as I knew that my brother would not part with Neko. That’s when I discovered Maine Coon Rescue and saw a photo of Mewsetta nee’ Bobcat. A few weeks later, after a number of emails and phone calls to her foster mom and a volunteer coordinator, as well as a question-and-answer period for all of us, we were on the road to meet and greet our new kitty. Foster mom drove more than four hours while we drove less than three. Mewsetta came with vet records including a last-minute wellness check, as this rescue is a very dedicated group of individuals who like to ensure that both animals and adopters are well matched. It took Mewsetta about a week to emerge from under the bed in our guest room, except to eat. We sat with her very often and read or watched tv until she was comfortable with her new surroundings. Now she follows us around always keeping one of us insight. She remains shy around strangers, reverting to under the bed status, and she could do without a visit from our daughter’s small dog. But she claws only her scratching post and except for a few hairballs, has left us no other “gifts.” It took lots of patience but, after so many years with no pets, we had plenty to give. Our evenings are spent with Mewsetta curled between us on the sofa. Come winter, she will be better than a blanket. We like to think that Mewsetta agrees. |
